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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22890706">homecoming</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chitra_Rive/pseuds/Chitra_Rive'>Chitra_Rive</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Child Neglect, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Character Death, Speculation, TOA-centric, also phoebe the hunter is in there but again not really worth tagging, georgie's in there a bit but not enough to tag i don't think, i know i have zoe join the hunters but this is not zoe nightshade's secret backstory, i'm iffy about the title but i couldn't think of anything better, important note: this is NOT about zoe nightshade, not h/c i bounce back and forth between those 2 like a ping pong ball, tag wranglers listen up she needs a seperate tag, technically canon compliant, the original characters are from mythology from the most part, they have the same name ok???</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:20:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,478</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22890706</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chitra_Rive/pseuds/Chitra_Rive</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><i>All those empty rooms</i><br/><i>We could been anywhere, anywhere else</i><br/><i>Instead I made a bed with apathy</i><br/><i>My heart knew the weight</i><br/><i>Ten years worth of dust and neglect</i><br/><i>We made our peace with weariness</i><br/><i>And let it be</i><br/>-The Moon Will Sing (The Crane Wives)</p><p>A 'what the fuck happened to Lit's sister' story, because one writer's plot holes are another's fic ideas.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lityerses &amp; Midas (Percy Jackson), Zoe &amp; Lityerses(Percy Jackson)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Trials of Apollo</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>homecoming</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>yeets this here unedited<br/>please read i spent like over a month on this</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Anchurus wasn’t sure if he wanted to go home. He hadn’t seen his siblings in almost six months- he should go back, for them if nothing else. But home- the castle always felt confining, like the walls were constricting around him, making him into something he didn’t want to be.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anchurus, eldest son of King Midas, crown prince and his father’s favorite possession. He’d always leaned on that as who he was, directions to who he had to become. He didn’t know what he would do without that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He went home. The prince couldn’t be out commanding armies for too long. He had things he needed to attend to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he crossed the interior courtyard of the palace, someone jumped on him, sending him falling backwards. He panicked for a second until he saw who it was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His sister Zoe grinned at him. Her curls had gotten crazy in the six months he’d been gone, falling in her eyes and sticking up in a million cowlicks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pushed her off gently. “What’s up, Zo?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe bounced up and down on her toes. “I was waiting for you! How was your trip? Did you get to go to Africa or Asia and did you save people and get famous and did you meet a princess, or a prince I guess, or any kids my age and can I come next time, Lit says I won’t be able to and that it’s dumb to ask, but he’s just mean-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anchurus looked around for Lityerses. He was usually chasing after Zoe and making sure she didn’t get in trouble, but he wasn’t here now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s looking for his sword,” Zoe informed him. “He’s been practicing </span>
  <em>
    <span>all the time.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She rolled her eyes, as if including him in her annoyance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s like nine,” Anchurus said, concerned. “Should he have a sword?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dunno. But he wants to spar with you! He says he’ll be better than you soon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anchurus laughed. “I don’t doubt that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit came out through one of the doors, twirling a sword in a way that made Anchurus want to run over and take it from him. He was looking moody, but he brightened up when he saw them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re back!” He was obviously trying to conceal his excitement and not really succeeding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That I am.” Anchurus ruffled his hair. “You wanna show me what you’ve learned?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Lit tossed his sword from hand to hand, trying to look cool, and then pointed it at Anchurus.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anchurus obligingly looked impressed and drew his own sword. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was going easy on him, of course, Lit was ten years younger than him, but he was surprised by how good Lit had gotten. For a second, Anchurus was pretty sure that Lit would have actually beaten him, even if he hadn’t let him win. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He purposefully slipped up and let Lityerses stab him in the chest. The blade didn’t even make a dent against the armor he still hadn’t taken off properly, but Anchurus dramatically recoiled as if it’s pierced his heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh nooo…” He collapsed to the stone ground of the courtyard, putting his hand to his forehead. “You can’t do this to me, what will my little brother do without me, he’s so small and so alone in the world…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit looked torn between giggling and being embarrassed. Anchurus gave one final death sputter and flopped over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit prodded him in the shoulder. “Anchurus. Get up. Did I do good?” He paused, looking concerned. “Did I actually hurt you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anchurus gave him a thumbs up, picking himself up from the ground. He would’ve liked to continue lying down for the rest of the day, but he wasn’t exactly allowed to do that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m good.” He leaned over and fixed Lit’s hair, tucking one curl behind his ear. The tragic plight of their family; unmanageable curly hair. Anchurus had cropped his short, but Lityerses and Zoe wore theirs long and suffered the consequences. “You did great! I was surprised by how good you’ve gotten.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit beamed. “You think dad- His Majesty would be impressed?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Anchurus internally sighed; he’d been in the same place as Lit a few years ago. Still was, if he was being honest. He could logically know that it was almost impossible to get their father to care about anything, but that didn’t stop him from trying. What else was he supposed to do?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of saying that, he smiled at Lit. “I’m ...sure he will. Just keep at it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe tugged at his arm. “You’re all boring. C’mon- I want to show you the fairy house I made!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anchurus followed her, Lit trailing behind, and for a few more hours they played at being a happy family.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>nice. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Anchurus didn’t want to give up the act. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anchurus was dead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were standing on the edge of a gaping rift. It had only been a month since he came back- that’s not enough time. They had never spent as much time as they should have together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rift, people were saying, gossip and rumors already filling the air, was cursed to only close if the king gave up the most valuable thing he owned. Nothing had worked. He’d gotten desperate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anchurus jumped in by his own will, though, people say. It’s unsure if this is better or worse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What a dutiful son. He knew his place in the world- knew who he was according to everyone else. Never quite managed to figure out who he was to himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit was shaking, standing on the edge of the rift. His sword was at his feet. He was going to throw it in, to see if that worked. It was worth a lot to him, right?  He didn’t know what to do with it now. Zoe didn’t really know what was going on- she kept trying to wiggle out of his grasp and look for the chasm that wasn’t there anymore. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know what to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had a weird upbringing- they mostly spent their time running wild around the palace. Occasionally their father would try hiring tutors for them, but they’d gotten good at avoiding people, and in case that didn’t work, Lit had a glare that could send most well-meaning adults running for the hills. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On Zoe’s ninth birthday, they nicked some candy from the kitchens and went and hid in an empty tower room and debated what to call the stray cat Lityerses found and gave to Zoe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We should call him Xanthe,” Zoe suggested, perched on the stool in one corner of the room, feet not quite touching the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room they were in was mostly empty, except for a table loom that looked like it hadn’t been used in ages. Lit was sitting on the floor near her, petting the cat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Xanthe’s a dumb name. You should name him something cool.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe kicked at the leg of the stool. “It’s not dumb! What would I call him, anyway?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit took a bite of a baklava piece, looking deep in thought. “Death Claw.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why would I call him that! He’s a cat!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’d like my name better than yours,” Lit gestured at the cat’s face, still holding the candy. “Look at him. Does he look like a Xanthe to you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe tossed her head, sending her curls flying. “Well, he’s not your cat, is he?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ask him who he likes better. It’ll be me.” Lit scratched the cat behind the ears. “Right, kitty?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xanthe purred. Zoe took a moment to feel betrayed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m the one who found him, anyways. Thought you’d like him, but he’s mine really.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“D’you know how to take care of a cat? Or want to?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit paused. “I can… figure it out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe raised an eyebrow. “You can?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, no,” Lit said, grinning. “I got an idea. He’ll be my cat, and I’ll call him whatever I want, but you take care of him or whatever.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s no fair!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m very busy. You wouldn’t understand- you’re only ei- nine, I guess, now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe scoffed. “All you do is practice your swordfighting all day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And eat candy,” Lit added helpfully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe nodded solemnly. “‘Course. There’s no time for cats when you got all that going on.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had another year like that before everything went to shit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t so different after Midas got the golden touch, really. They learned how to keep their heads down and get better at avoiding him and they were okay, as long as they played it safe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit got used to it quick, remembered to call their dad </span>
  <em>
    <span>Your Majesty, </span>
  </em>
  <span>spent more time practicing his fighting and trying to make himself useful enough that Midas would consider him a bigger asset than gold. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe never quite got good at it. She’s always been too talkative, too hotheaded, too annoying. She didn’t know when to stop, not like Lit did. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They spent more time together. He’s always kept her from getting into trouble- it’s just more important now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re twitchy now, too, flinching at most touches that aren’t their sibling’s, and sleeping lightly, ready to wake up at any sound. Lit kept his sword under his pillow, though there wasn’t really any use. The thing they were all scared of was their father, and you couldn’t stab </span>
  <em>
    <span>him. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe woke up at three am one night because of a crashing sound in the kitchen. She rubbed her eyes, trying to see down the corridor. She couldn’t make out anything. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She made her way down. It was eerily quiet this late at night, and all the warmth had been leeched from the stone pathway she was walking on, making it uncomfortably cold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She peeked her head in and decided two things: One, it wasn’t a threat, and two, she was definitely going to make fun of Lit for this later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was perched on the counter, trying to reach something in a cupboard. When he heard Zoe approach, he yelped, dropping the box he’d been trying to open. “Shit!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s just me,” Zoe said. “How come you’re up?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit made a face. “Couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d get something to eat.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe leaned over to look behind him. “Sugar and cold pita bread?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t judge!” Lit hopped off the counter. “If you want to talk, we should probably do it outside or something so we don’t wake up anyone.” He waved at the dark room around them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tell me not to judge. Judging is my </span>
  <em>
    <span>thing. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I judge everyone.” There’s a door off the kitchen leading to an open area, so Zoe goes through there, waving at Lit to follow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was dark outside, a chill breeze blowing and ruffling up her hair. She flopped down on the wet grass, staring up at the stars. It was a cloudy night, but some were still shining, scattered across the sky like flecks of glitter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit sat down beside her. “Your clothes are going to get soaked if you do that,” he pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, they are?” Zoe asked innocently. “Well then-” She grabbed Lit’s collar, tugging him backward onto the grass.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Lit pulled up a handful of grass from the ground and threw it at her, sitting back up as he did. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe pounced on Lit, sending both of them sprawling back onto the ground. “No getting up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, okay!” Lit flailed his arms, trying to get loose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe grinned, lying across him and holding him down. “How you doing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could get you off me,” Lit muttered. “I’m a trained swordsman and you’re twelve. This is just- I’m letting you do this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Zoe agreed cheerfully. She flopped back over him, letting her head hit the ground. “Ugh, I’m so tired.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit whacked her in the side of her head. “Why’re you up at three am then, dumbass?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re the one who woke me up! And you </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’m gonna have nightmares or insomnia!” Zoe protested. “Having a terrible sleep schedule is just one of the fun perks of being in this stupid fucking family!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I get that.” Lityerses propped his head up on his hands.“Well, just us two, really. Our dad probably sleeps soundly on the pile of all his fucking gold.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe made a face. “You ever get mad at Dionysus? Seems like he’s a real stupid guy.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit sat up, making her tumble off him. “You can’t say that. I think it’s illegal.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Illegal?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit buried his face in his hands. “Blasphemous, not illegal. Shit. Give me slack, it’s terrible-o-clock in the morning.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will not ever give you slack.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Figured.” He sighed. “And honestly? I do kind of. But like, he’s not responsible for all the bad stuff that’s ever happened to us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe sprawled out on the grass, watching the clouds move. “I guess. It’s easier to be mad at someone else, though.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit laughed a bit. “Wow, apparently we talk about our feelings a lot when we’re sleep deprived.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe cleared her throat and said, in an overly-exaggerated version of Lit’s voice, “Talking? About my </span>
  <em>
    <span>emotions? </span>
  </em>
  <span>How could you suggest that! Sorry, I’m off to brood in a corner and pet my cat now. In an… edgy way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe shut up. For a good three seconds. “Hey, while we’re on the topic of like, our feelings and gods that have screwed us over, you think your mom really is Demeter?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit bit his nail. “I don’t know. I mean, it’s kinda bullshit, right? Like you just say that if you had an affair or something.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You think she just, like, forgot?” Zoe said, giggling. “Like ‘oh shit, I have a child’.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘Should probably check up on him,’” Lit added. “‘Make sure he’s okay.’ Hey, Demeter, spoiler alert: I’m not!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe laughed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe she’d be able to sleep tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A week after that, Midas sent for them, telling Lit to come to one of his rooms. Zoe wasn’t mentioned, but she followed along anyway. For emotional support. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The king’s private quarters were really big, larger than hers and Lit’s combined. They met him in a room that looks like an office, with a gleaming desk and papers scattering the room. (Zoe picked up one of them and read the note on the front- “</span>
  <em>
    <span>advertising??” </span>
  </em>
  <span>And okay, she had no idea what that was about.</span>
  <em>
    <span>)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Midas gave them a false smile when they came in. “Ah, Lit, sit down.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe glared at him. She’d seen him put up the </span>
  <em>
    <span>affable old man </span>
  </em>
  <span>act when other people came to the palace. It usually meant he was planning something.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Zoe, why are you here?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit stepped in front of her. “She wanted to come with me, Your Majesty. She’ll leave.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe nodded emphatically. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m gonna stay outside the door and spy,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>she whispered to Lit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t,” Lit hissed back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t stop me. And what if he hurts you?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine. I don’t want you to get in trouble.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe huffed and left the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lityerses sat awkwardly across from Midas. Zoe had just left, and he was starting to regret sending her out. This couldn’t possibly go well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know how to use a sword, don’t you?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Your Majesty.” He’d spent </span>
  <em>
    <span>years </span>
  </em>
  <span>learning how to use a sword, and obsessed over it until Zoe made him stop. When he was a little kid, his brother had told him that if he kept practicing Midas would notice, but six years and he hadn’t. Until now, apparently. Figured that now, attention from his father was the last thing he wanted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wonderful! I need you to kill some people.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>...what? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Lit felt like he’d missed something. He wasn’t supposed to speak out of turn, so he managed to restrain himself from asking ‘what the actual fuck’. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, ‘kill’ is such an ugly word,” Midas continued. “I need you to dispose of some people that are being very annoying. They’re planning a revolution, did you know?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe’s friends had been talking about it for years. Literally everyone hated the king. Lityerses had known since he was eleven. “No, Your Majesty, I didn’t.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t hire an assassin. People will find out, and why spend the money when you don’t need to? So I’ll send you over to Celanae to deal with it. You’re Demeter’s boy, anyway. Some experience farming might do you good.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- I can’t-” His father wasn’t someone you argued with. Lit fell silent. Maybe he could still try and get out of this. He doubted it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But- he’d been trying to get Midas to care about him, or not about him, at least find him useful enough that he didn’t have to be scared all the time. If this was a way he could do that, then, well, he couldn’t really argue against it...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lit pushed his way out of the door, not looking at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe tugged at his sleeve. “No you’re not. I know that face. What did that bastard say?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit sighed, blowing his hair out of his face. “He, um. He’s sending me to Celanae. For a while.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What? </span>
  </em>
  <span>When?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t just- he can’t just do that! With no warning!” Zoe paced up and down the hallway, waving her hands. “He has to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>something, </span>
  </em>
  <span>at least- god, Lit, what am I going to do without you? And I know he’s planning something-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit flinched at the last one. “Zoe-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe turned on her heel, facing back towards him. “That’s it, isn’t it? He’s got some dumb plan, to, I dunno, make more money or something, and he’s got you involved in it? And it’s got to be something pretty bad.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- yeah.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Knew it. I’m gonna talk to him.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lityerses grabbed her sleeve before she could. “Zoe, don’t!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why not?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s not going to listen, you know that. And I- I don’t want you getting hurt, especially when I won’t be here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit had a point. “Okay.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look out for yourself when I’m gone, ‘kay? Be careful.” </span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I always am.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lityerses had been gone for a few months. The thing was- over the last few years, they’ve spent so much time together, just trying to </span>
  <em>
    <span>survive </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>deal </span>
  </em>
  <span>with their situation. Zoe didn’t know what to do without him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’d always gotten angry easily and done things without thinking. Normally, Lit was the one to keep her in check, but without him there was no one. She got in trouble with Midas constantly- four times as a statue recently, once for a goddamn </span>
  <em>
    <span>two months- </span>
  </em>
  <span>and she shouted something at her friend Arete and almost made her cry. She lost track of Xanthe for a week before realizing Midas had absentmindedly pet him and turned him to gold. (She ended up giving him to Arete, as an apology. He wasn’t safe anymore, not without her and Lit both trying to take care of him.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Occasionally, they managed to get word to each other, but it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>weird </span>
  </em>
  <span>because they haven’t talked for so long. Lit was increasingly curt, and seemed like he was avoiding her. Zoe spent her free time worrying about him- she tried to be with her friends more, find things to busy her so that she didn’t keep thinking about it, but it was no use. She kept cycling back to the same line of worry.  One- was he okay? He could handle himself in a fight, sure, but he had a tendency to get involved with people who were powerful, or cunning, or both. Two- he tended to try and hide when he needed help. You didn’t want to draw attention to yourself, living in the palace. That could be what he was hiding. Three- what was making him avoid her so much? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She made a list, at one point. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s decided to murder random people </span>
  </em>
  <span>was on there, but it was supposed to be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>joke. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Goddamnit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The last time they spoke for a long time, Lit was seventeen and Zoe was fourteen. Zoe had managed to sneak out of the palace and make her way up to Celanae.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit looked different than she remembered. His hair was cropped short- he’d always worn it long, like hers. And he had a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot </span>
  </em>
  <span>of new scars, slashed across his face and covering his arms. He’d had a few, before, but she’d known how he’d gotten them. Claw marks across his arm from trying to pick up a cat when he was twelve, a scar on his hand from when she’d startled him and he’d cut himself, and a mark on his knee from when he was ten and fell down a flight of stairs. She didn’t know what the new ones were from. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here, Zoe?” They were standing in a grassy field, out back of the house Lit was staying in. Lit had his sword on him, and his hand was on the hilt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- um- I came to see you. I’m worried about you- are you doing okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine. You should go home.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go home when you explain what’s going on!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Zoe, I- I can’t explain this, okay? Just leave. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s always what you say! You don’t need to protect me. I’ll be fine!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit sheathed his sword, sighing. “Just go home, Zoe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to. I’ll hang around and find out what you’re doing.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine! Don’t blame me when Dad’s mad, or you get killed!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won’t, ‘cause that won’t happen!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(In hindsight, Zoe had been very wrong.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zoe hated being dead. One of the things she liked least was having nothing to do- she got bored easily, and she needed to have something to do with her hands. The other thing she hated was having time to think. She’d always avoided panicking at whatever shitty thing was going on by distracting herself. Here, there was nothing to do that with. She’d tried to make flower crowns from the white star-shaped flowers growing up everywhere, but her hands just phased through them. She’d tried to talk to the other ghosts, but her voice got whisked away into the air.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time passed strangely. Another thing Zoe didn’t like- what was she on, number three?- was being turned into a statue, and this was like that. A weird, dreamlike feeling like when you’re on the edge of falling asleep and feel like you’re floating away. It seemed to go by faster and feel stranger the longer she was dead. A few more decades, she guessed, and she’d forget her own name.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She really didn’t want that to happen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mostly, she wandered around. Everyone seemed to do that, here. It was like the hot new fad or something.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Near the Fields, she noticed something. Two familiar figures-- she realized who they were, and froze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit and their father were standing on the edge of the Fields of Asphodel, talking to a woman she couldn’t see. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe didn’t know what to do. She didn’t think that she’d ever see anyone she knew again, much less her weird dysfunctional family. Instinctively, she ducked behind a pillar holding up a highway overpass.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit’s eyes widened, and Zoe realized he’d noticed her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit! </span>
  </em>
  <span>She wasn’t ready to confront him again. She’d mess it up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So we have an arrangement?” the woman asked. With a start, Zoe realized the voice was coming from the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait!” Lit yelled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Midas glared at him, and Zoe had to resist jumping out from behind the pillar and pulling Lit out of danger. “What is it?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m, um, making a deal. Like you taught me.” He turned and faced the mysterious speaker. “I’ll come with you, but only if you let me take my sister too. And… and my brother. The Doors of Death are open. Thanatos is chained. Should be easy.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman sighed. “Your father has already bothered me with a dozen queries for extra things he can get out of this. You seem to care about your siblings. Would you be willing to pick one over the other?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lityerses hesitated. “I- Zoe. My sister.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright.” There was a sound of a snap, and Zoe felt herself being yanked forward, sending her tripping across the ground. Lit started to run towards her, but Midas held an arm out, stopping him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That wasn’t a very smart move. How would we use your sister to help us?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t do something like that again.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit ducked his head. “Yes, Your Majesty.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You, come with me.” Midas reached out a hand to Zoe, but before his fingers could brush with hers, Lit yanked her back, sending them knocking into each other and stumbling further back behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe wanted to snap at him, tell him to leave her alone, but he’d risked a lot to help her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She took a few more steps back to make sure they were far enough from their father that they could talk. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We haven’t seen each other in thousands of years. Where do we even start? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” she tried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Couldn’t risk you getting hurt.” Lit was nervously scoring lines across his arms with his nails, seeming even more on edge than usual.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” Zoe asked, falling into step beside him. She’d thought that it would be weird and unnatural if they ever saw each other again, since they’d grown apart and everything had gotten terrible and murder-y. It wasn’t like that, though. They slipped into place together like the last four years hadn’t even happened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit tugged at his hair. He had a new scar, tracing almost all the way around his neck. “I… I wasn’t a good person.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>that,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Zoe snapped, coming off as angrier than she meant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lityerses ducked his head. “When I was in the Underworld, I wasn’t in Asphodel like you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is there anything… can I…” Zoe trailed off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I- I kind of deserved it.” His breathing was shaky. Zoe thought that she used to know what to do, when he got like this, but she couldn’t remember. It’d been five years since they followed each other everywhere around the palace, plus however many millenia since they’d died. (She should’ve guessed that they’d both die young. If she’d put a bet in she could have gotten some money.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What should she do. Um. Change the subject. “So you’re staying with Dad?” Okay, that was a shitty subject change if she was trying to calm him down from a panic attack. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit glanced up to check how far Midas was from them. “What choice do I have? I’m not going to go against a primordial earth goddess, and I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> staying dead.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe wanted to be angry at him. He’d always gone along with their father, and she was tired of it. But he was obviously scared, more than usual, and she didn’t know if yelling at him would do any good. She didn’t want the first time they’d talked for years to be an argument.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ferryman’s boat was empty, and on the wrong side of the river. On one hand, Zoe didn’t exactly want to go through Tartarus, but on the other hand, it was worrying. What was going </span>
  <em>
    <span>on? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She leaned over the edge of the boat, letting her hand skim just above the water. She didn’t remember there being so much stuff in it before. Carnations and papers in a language she couldn’t read and broken kid’s toys. She tried to pick up a rose petal floating on the surface, but it sunk back down out of her reach. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The river’s full of lost dreams, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she remembered Charon telling her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>People who died and never got to do what they wanted, kids who got their childhoods ripped away, broken hearts… </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her and Lit probably had things in that river when they’d died, things they’d not been able to do or given up on. But they had a second chance on life now. Zoe wasn’t going to waste it by staying with Midas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nothing had gone like Zoe had planned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’d woken up, not knowing what was going on, still feeling weird and hazy from the weeks- days? months?- that she’d spent as a statue.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Things she did know: One- rain was pattering down everywhere, soaking her and making her curls lie flat against her neck. That was probably why she wasn’t a statue anymore. It raised a few questions to why Lityerses hadn’t helped her before then, though. Two- they weren’t in the palace, or the Fields of Asphodel. It was the modern world- she remembered that- but she didn’t know where in it. Three-a massive hole was carved through the roof, like it’d exploded or something. She’d like to meet whoever was exploding her father’s property and shake his hand. Four- there were people everywhere, some still sort of dazed. Five- she was not dressed for the weather </span>
  <em>
    <span>at all. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Zoe was taking inventory of the situation, her eye caught on something, and her heart stopped. Lit was kneeling in a corner, an expression of panic on his face, gleaming with the telltale sheen of gold. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was about to run to him and help him, when someone caught her shoulder, making her flinch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Standing in front of her was a tall man with dark hair. Zoe tensed, but he didn’t seem to have a weapon or anything like that. “He’s part of the reason most of us are here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s my </span>
  <em>
    <span>brother,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>she snapped at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeesh. Bad luck. You’re not attached to Midas- your dad at all, are you?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Gods, </span>
  </em>
  <span>no.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s good.” He twisted the ring on his finger. It was in the design of two intertwined snakes, and looked like it was made of bronze, though it still had spots of gold where the rain hadn’t quite soaked through. “I’m James, by the way. Veteran demigod. Do you happen to know the way to New Rome?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t even know the way to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Old </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rome, whatever that is.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit. I forgot- you’re not from now, right? Will you be okay? The Hunters are near here, I think, if you need to-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine,” Zoe snapped. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now please leave so I can unfreeze my brother. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He seemed to get the hint. Zoe was proud that her adult-dispelling strategies still worked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As soon as he left, Zoe ran over to Lit, tugging the rug off him. The rain had slowed down, and she prayed that it would still work. She didn’t remember if they’d ever used rain before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the gold faded off. There was a moment of confusion as Lit tried to remember what was going on- he stumbled to his feet, grabbing her hand for support, but when he realized who she was he went pale and let go. “Zoe-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He nodded. “It was only a couple hours.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe brightened. “Oh, so then you’ll know how long I was out of it!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit ducked his head. “Um, about that-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Lityerses.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ten months,” Lit muttered, quiet enough that she wasn’t sure if she’d heard it right. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That long and you didn’t even try and help me, or any of the other people who were here?” Zoe asked. “I know- I don’t wanna get mad, but why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was scared, okay?” Lit snapped. “I died, and it </span>
  <em>
    <span>sucked, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and I- for a while before I died, I was getting through things by thinking that it couldn’t get any worse, you know? But now I know it can, and I don’t want to fuck up and die again because Gaea changed her mind!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thinking like that is what got you killed in the first place!” Zoe protested. “You gotta stand up for yourself at some point.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Every time you tried to do that, it backfired! Maybe I know the best thing’s keeping your head down, because one of us was constantly in trouble for not doing that, and it wasn’t me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, one of us committed murders, and I didn’t!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck did you want me to do? If I hadn’t Dad wouldn’t have had a reason to keep either of us around anymore!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s dead now! You can do what you want!” Zoe turned on her heel. “I’m not gonna argue about this anymore. I’m leaving. Nothing keeping me here anymore.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zoe was lost. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t know anything about the world she’d found herself in. Everything was too bright and loud and confusing. No one spoke the right language and she couldn’t find her way anywhere. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The demigod she’d met had mentioned the Hunters of Artemis. If she could just find them… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She managed to find the Hunters’ camp a day or two later. At least, she guessed that it was their camp- there were a lot of silvery tents and people talking. They were high up, and snow was dusting the ground and the top of tents, creating an idyllic scene like in a snow globe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, hello?” Zoe was unsure what to do. Was she supposed to knock or something? “Is anyone here?” She kicked the snow, sending a cloud of powder into the air. “I’m a maiden in need? Isn’t that y’all’s deal? Or do you just kill monsters?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It is our deal, yes.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe spun around. Standing behind her was a tall, musclebound girl, who looked about a year younger than Zoe. (And yet was like six inches taller. The cruelty of fate knew no bounds.)  She was probably a Hunter of Artemis, so Zoe shouldn’t assume her age.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi, um, what was your name?” Zoe tried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Phoebe.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Phoebe! Yes! So anyway, I, um, died? And then got brought back to life? And then my dad died, which was great, and then I had an argument with my brother and stormed off, which was less great, ‘cause then I got lost, and I would, um-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to join the Hunters?” Zoe’s startled expression must have been obvious, because Phoebe added, “You don’t have to. We don’t make people join, or turn away maidens in need if they won’t join. You could stay with us for a month or two, then go your own way. But if you’d like to join…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe considered it. She wasn’t aromantic or anything. She knew </span>
  <em>
    <span>that. </span>
  </em>
  <span>But all the girls she might have been in love with were dead, and here were people offering her safety and a place to live, and all she had to do was say some vow. How could she pass up something like that?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Deal.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zoe’d been with the Hunters about a year now, and was pretty good at the whole monster tracking thing, in her opinion. She ended up being left behind to watch camp and make sure the fox’s trail didn’t go cold when they got called to help deal with the Triumvirate, so by chance, she didn’t see Lit until months later, when she was in Indianapolis for some business reason. She tended to avoid it, because it was Briomartis’ home base, and she </span>
  <em>
    <span>did not </span>
  </em>
  <span>trust Briomartis. But there hadn’t really been a way to get out of going there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was wandering through a park, looking for a place to practice her archery (well, that was her plan, but she kept getting distracted by shiny things) when she heard a familiar voice. She’d recognize it anywhere- dry and raspy, with an accent that only her and one other person in the world had, now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wasn’t sure how she felt about Lit. Last time they’d talked, Zoe’d yelled at him, and one, she didn’t want to deal with that and apologizing and stuff, and two, she still believed all the stuff she’d told him. Now that she thought about it, they’d been conflicted over that for a long time, it had just come to a head last year. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She missed him, though. She missed when they’d run around the palace, exploring and playing around together, and she missed having someone she could talk to, and she missed when they used to be inseparable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t avoid him forever. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zoe made her way to over where she’d heard him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was pushing a little kid on the swing, talking to her about something. The scene was so familial and happy it made her do a double take- half offputting, half familiar.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She hardly remembered their brother. She’d only been six when he died. But she realized that was what was so familiar. Lit was acting like he had.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lityerses hadn’t noticed her yet, but the kid on the swing turned and looked in her direction. She had oddly clear gray eyes, that looked older than a seven-year-old should have.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She beckoned at Zoe with an annoyed expression, like </span>
  <em>
    <span>what are you waiting for? Talk to him, you dummy. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Zoe made a face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Okay, okay! </span>
  </em>
  <span>She wasn’t one to avoid things, anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um. Hi, Lit.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit finally noticed her. When he did, he looked like he’d seen a ghost. He went pale and backed away from her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Zoe?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s up?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I, um- nothing? I- I did think about what you said, by the way. Took someone trying to kill me for me to really figure it out, but…” Lit trailed off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Someone tried to kill you? Are you okay?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it was like two months ago…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Someone tried to kill you two months ago and I didn’t hear about it? What happened? How’d you get out of it?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There was an elephant,” Lit offered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That sounds awesome and I will talk to you about it later.” Zoe became a bit more serious. “Are you- are we- last time we talked, it didn’t go great.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lit tugged at his hair. “Yeah, it didn’t really. But- Zoe, I don’t want to just… never talk again. I want to figure this out, okay? Try to fix things. I’ve been staying here, do you want to come back to the Waystation with me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a thing about homes. They’re not where you live, not really. The palace never counted as a home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe they’d found places they could be, Lit and Zoe; a train station in Indianapolis, a Hunter’s camp with people talking and laughing and a warm fire. But it had never really felt right, not without each other. Home for them had always been each other; all the little things about living with each other, how Lit made tea for Zoe when she got sick and how Zoe helped him through panic attacks and how one night they’d fallen asleep on the grass looking up at the stars and neither of them had any nightmares that night. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure, I’ll come,” Zoe says, and Lit takes her hand and says “Come on, then, I’ll show you around,” and they go home. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><i>Help me understand the best is yet to come</i><br/><i>Take me by the hand before I come undone</i><br/><i>'Cause all this emptiness has left me feeling numb</i><br/><i>But it's darkest right before the sun</i><br/>-The Best Is Yet To Come (Sheppard)</p><p>please leave a comment!!! if you do i will die for you</p></blockquote></div></div>
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